Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN) Given Average Rating of "Moderate Buy" by Brokerages

Key Points

• Accenture has an average analyst rating of “Moderate Buy” from 27 research firms, with 16 buy ratings and 11 hold ratings. The average 12-month price target is about $242.41.
• The stock is trading sharply lower, opening at $156.21, near its 12-month low of $155.82, after a 5.6% decline. Despite the drop, Accenture still showed solid recent fundamentals, including quarterly EPS and revenue that both beat estimates.
• Recent analyst notes have been more cautious, with several firms trimming price targets, even as Accenture continues to see activity from institutions and insider selling by CEO Atsushi Egawa under a pre-arranged trading plan. The company also recently announced AI- and expansion-related initiatives, including a collaboration with Unilever and acquisitions in healthcare and industrial software.

Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN - Get Free Report) has been assigned an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the twenty-seven research firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and sixteen have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12 month target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $242.4074.

ACN has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price objective on shares of Accenture from $315.00 to $270.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, June 3rd. Berenberg Bank set a $220.00 price objective on shares of Accenture in a report on Wednesday. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on shares of Accenture from $300.00 to $270.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, June 3rd. Mizuho lowered their target price on shares of Accenture from $309.00 to $280.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 23rd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of Accenture from $247.00 to $201.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, June 8th.

Accenture Trading Down 5.6%

Shares of ACN opened at $156.21 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.34, a quick ratio of 1.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16. Accenture has a 12-month low of $155.82 and a 12-month high of $314.20. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $179.51 and a 200 day moving average price of $219.86. The firm has a market capitalization of $103.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.79, a P/E/G ratio of 1.57 and a beta of 1.08.

Accenture (NYSE:ACN - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, March 20th. The information technology services provider reported $2.93 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.84 by $0.09. Accenture had a net margin of 10.61% and a return on equity of 26.33%. The firm had revenue of $18.04 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.80 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.82 earnings per share. Accenture's quarterly revenue was up 7.8% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts forecast that Accenture will post 13.83 EPS for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Accenture news, CEO Atsushi Egawa sold 4,872 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, April 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $177.14, for a total transaction of $863,026.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 12,802 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,267,746.28. This trade represents a 27.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. 0.02% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Board of the Pension Protection Fund purchased a new position in Accenture during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. McMillan Office Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. University of Texas Texas AM Investment Management Co. acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Triumph Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture during the third quarter worth about $26,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 75.14% of the company's stock.

More Accenture News

Here are the key news stories impacting Accenture this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Accenture announced a multi-year collaboration with Unilever to expand AI-enabled digital twins across global manufacturing, which could strengthen its AI and digital transformation pipeline. Unilever Scales Digital Twins Across Global Manufacturing Network with Accenture
• Positive Sentiment: The company also agreed to acquire Alfahealth and Industries eXcellence Group, expanding its healthcare, industrial software, and automation capabilities in Europe. Accenture to Acquire Alfahealth
• Positive Sentiment: Investors are watching for earnings to show stronger AI-related gains and bookings, which could reassure the market if management delivers a solid outlook. Accenture preview: investors look for AI gains, bookings strength
• Neutral Sentiment: Accenture is set to report fiscal Q3 earnings before the bell Thursday, and traders expect a potentially significant post-earnings move. Here's How Much Accenture Stock Is Expected to Move After Earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: Jefferies assigned a Hold rating, while Susquehanna cut its price target, signaling a more cautious view ahead of results. Accenture (ACN) Receives a Hold from Jefferies
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst commentary from Susquehanna and JPMorgan reflects slower growth expectations, with one report noting 2026 is “close to plan” but not a clear upside surprise. Accenture in focus as Susquehanna lowers price target
• Negative Sentiment: Jim Cramer said Accenture is being outcompeted by AI leaders such as OpenAI and Anthropic, reinforcing investor concern that the company may be lagging in the AI race. Jim Cramer Agrees That Accenture Is “Being Outcompeted By OpenAI and Anthropic”

About Accenture

Accenture is a global professional services company that provides a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. The firm works with organizations across industries to design and implement business transformation programs, deploy and manage enterprise technology, optimize operations, and develop customer and digital experiences. Its offerings encompass management and technology consulting, systems integration, application and infrastructure services, cloud migration and managed services, as well as security and analytics capabilities.

The company delivers industry- and function-specific solutions, combining consulting expertise with proprietary tools, platforms and partnerships with major technology vendors.

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